Top County Bills Face Last-Minute Push

A last-minute rush of bills considered crucial to Orange County are scheduled for make-or-break votes in the two weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session.

The county’s bids to build toll freeways, share in an $88-million block grant to help counties balance their budgets, advance funding of highway projects and an effort to avoid the so-called Gann spending limit are among many issues that are still awaiting final committee or floor votes.

And although the county’s legislators are confident that most, if not all, of the bills will be sent to the governor for his signature, votes on several measures have been delayed because they are considered pawns in various end-of-session political squabbles.

On the Assembly floor, for example, Assemblyman Robert C. Frazee (R-Carlsbad) got into a dispute with Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Majority Leader Tom Hannigan (D-Fairfield) over the bill that would allow Orange County to merge several service districts into one.

Frazee, convinced that it was not the right time for a vote, sought a delay. An angry Roos booted the bill to the Assembly’s inactive file. Eventually, Frazee was able to resurrect the measure.

The bottom line: Roos and Hannigan mistook the bill for the measure authorizing the county to build toll roads, which many legislators strongly oppose and want vigorously debated before final action is taken.

“They’re playing games with bills that have nothing to do with what they’re angry about,” Frazee said after the incident. “There’s some opposition to the district consolidation because it’s Orange County trying to get around the Gann limit, but then you also have problems because they (lawmakers) may be upset about something totally unrelated, such as toll roads.”

Some bills are being delayed by both sides’ pending resolution of a fight over affirmative-action issues. Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) is holding back votes on some measures, according to Republican lawmakers, in order to pressure the Republicans to accept affirmative-action amendments on bills involving bond sales and government contracting with private firms.

On the other side, some Republicans are lying low out of concern that their bills will be defeated unless they wait until partisan tempers settle down.

Briefly, here is how the most prominent Orange County bills are faring:

- Toll Roads--State Sen. John Seymour’s bill (SB 1413) permitting Orange County to set up a toll road is scheduled for an Assembly floor vote Monday. Seymour and Frazee believe that they have rounded up enough votes to ensure passage, but they are worried about timing and may seek a delay. Legislators’ aides say the measure must return to the Senate for concurrence on Assembly amendments and will run into renewed opposition there from Senate President Pro Tempore David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles).

- Advance Funding (highways)--Sen. Marian Bergeson’s measure (SB 1411) to allow county agencies to advance funds for transportation projects and be reimbursed later by the state or federal government is scheduled for final Assembly vote Monday, but it must then return to the Senate for concurrence.

-Consolidation (Gann)--Bergeson’s bill (SB 1147) to consolidate the county’s service districts and thus lower the risk of reaching the Gann spending limit passed the Senate 35 to 0 and is scheduled for Assembly floor action Monday.

- Block Grant--Bergeson’s measure (SB 253) to give counties more than $80 million in budgetary relief probably will be merged into a similar measure by Assemblyman Jim Costa. Orange County officials estimate the county’s share of the proceeds at about $5.8 million, but the legislation is still in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for a scheduled hearing Monday.

- Contracting Out--Bergeson’s bill (SB 516) to speed highway construction by allowing Caltrans to contract with private engineering and architectural firms is caught up in the affirmative-action debate. Democrats amended the bill to require a 15% minority- and 5% women-owned firm participation, which is strongly opposed by many Republicans who may vote against the measure for that reason alone. The bill is in the Assembly awaiting floor action.

- Caltrans--Assemblyman Ross Johnson’s measure (AB 696) to provide $4.1 million in start-up funding for Orange County’s new Caltrans District 12 is scheduled for hearing Monday in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Also awaiting final Assembly action are two Bergeson bills that would raise court fees to finance construction of court facilities and provide funds for purchase of computerized fingerprint identification systems such as the one that was used to identify Richard Ramirez as a suspect in the Night Stalker murders.

Bergeson also has a major tort-reform bill (SB 23) that would limit local governments’ liability for personal injuries stemming from naturally occurring conditions at beaches. However, the measure is being joined with eight other tort-reform bills in a legislative package that faces an uncertain future in both Assembly and Senate.

In addition, the Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote next week on a measure that would provide $450,000 to Cal State Long Beach to study homes in Cypress, La Palma and Lakewood that are deteriorating because of crumbling foundation slabs.